Saina’s chase for third consecutive title off to winning start

India’s Saina Nehwal’s campaign for a third consecutive style got off to a winning start while top seed Lee Chong Wei began his redemption on a winning note as well when he beat Indonesia’s Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka at the Djarum Indonesia Open on Wednesday.

Saina, the top seed in women’s singles, has already bagged the India Open and Singapore Open titles prior to the Indonesia Open.

The Indian, however, was fully stretched by South Korea’s Sung Ji Hyun over 60 minutes before prevailing to a 22-20, 17-21, 21-14 win to move into the second round.
Saina will take on Bulgaria’s Petya Nedelcheva in the second round. The Bulgarian beat Germany’s Nicole Grether.

Russia’s Ella Diehl also progressed to the second round after she beat Japan’s Yu Hirayama 12-21, 21-16, 21-18 and will take on local hope Maria Febe Kusumastuti. The Indonesian beat Canada’s Charmaine Reid 21-19, 21-5.

Chong Wei, ousted in the quarter-finals of the Singapore Open by Indonesia’s eventual winnMeanwhile, the world’s No. 1 Mens’ Siner Sony Dwi Kuncoro, progressed to Round Two with a 21-10, 21-14 win over Rumbaka and will play Germany’s Marc Zwiebler.

Chong Wei’s compatriot Wong Choon Hann also advanced to the second round after defeating another Indonesian player – Yunus Alamsyah – but not before dropping the first game 20-22.

Choong Hann, however, recovered to take the next two games 21-19, 21-17 in 74 minutes.

“He (Alamsyah) has a good attacking game and it gave me some problems. But experience and stamina proved to be the turning points in the game and that allowed me to get back into the game,” said Choong Hann.

Choong Hann will face South Korea’s Shon Wan Ho in Thursday’s second round.the No 2 seed, and Sony also checked into the second round with wins over India’s P. Kashyap and France’s Brice Leverdez.

Kashyap, semi-finalist in Singapore last week, gave Taufik a tough fight before bowing out 21-12, 19-21, 16-21 while Sony beat Leverdez 21-11, 21-12.

It was a good day for the Malaysian team after World No 1 Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong led three other Malaysian pairs into the second round as well.